The term “active substance fluid” means free flowing, i.e. liquid to viscous, optionally gel-like or also pasty or granulated or otherwise pourable preparations of active substances having inter alia a cleaning, disinfecting, deodorizing, bleaching effect (in particular described in DE 199 30 362 A1, as well as in EP 0 775 741 A1 and EP 0 960 984 A2).
Dispensing devices from the prior art are known in various designs under the keyword “WC-baskets”, In the first place, dispensing devices for a single active substance fluid are known. The active substance fluid is located there in a storage container that is fixedly arranged or inserted in an exchangeable manner, in a holder and has an outlet opening arranged on the bottom side when the storage container is fitted on the holder.
In a first dispensing device from the prior art for a single active substance fluid, the active substance fluid is added via an actuating element which can be impregnated therewith and can be exposed to the action of the flushing liquid (e.g. an actuating element made of an open-cell foam) (EP 785 315 A1). In this case, the outlet opening of the storage container, once a closure part of the storage container has been pushed out, is largely closed by a sealing element arranged in a fixed manner on the holder, with the result that just a flow path of small cross section is available in order for the active substance fluid to trickle out. The device functions by utilizing the capillary action of the open-cell foam. A similar construction with a ribbed plate for dispersion is also known
When using the above mentioned dispensing devices from the prior art, all components that have to end up in the flushing liquid of the toilet bowl have to be comprised together in the active substance fluid. However, some components of active substances are not storage stable together. This is why a multi-chamber dispensing device has already been proposed (EP 0 960 984 A2). This dispensing device from the prior art helps to dispense at least two different or identical solid, gel-like, pasty or liquid media in liquid or aqueous form into a toilet bowl. Located on a holder that can be hung on the rim of the toilet bowl is a container that for storing the media comprises at least two adjacently arranged independent compartments. Each compartment has a dispensing device with a dispensing tube with a liquid inlet end surrounded by a cover and an outlet end from which liquid can flow through the bottom of the container. Both compartments of the holder can be filled up through slit-shaped openings with overflowing flushed water that then escapes as a type of a siphon or overflow through the dispensing tube, taking with it the respective active substance into the toilet bowl. The advantage of separate compartments in the holder is that different media can be employed, which would otherwise harmfully interact with each other when stored together in only one compartment. The consistency of the media in the different compartments can also be different.
In the abovementioned dispensing device, the functional principal of known “WC-baskets” is used, according to which, overflowing flush water flows from above into the compartment that comprises the active substance fluid, dissolves part of the active substance and flows out again from the compartment taking part of the active substance with it. With this there is the problem that the realized siphon effect causes a substantial liquid level to remain in the compartments. The action of the flushing liquid on the active substance fluid in the respective compartment therefore continues, even after the flush cycle has long been terminated. In practice, the consumption of active substance fluid cannot be correctly controlled.
Usually, these types of multi compartment system each have available a discharge opening for an active substance fluid from one of the compartments. Accordingly, there are often either two separately molded compartments each having a discharge opening and joined together in the WC-basket. Alternatively a one-piece storage container can be provided with two compartments and two discharge openings.
With the design of two separate outlet openings, it is often necessary to also provide two dispensing devices that control the discharge of active substance fluid from the storage containers into the flushing liquid of the toilet bowl. Here for example, valve arrangements are known, in which a lever connected to a valve is impinged with flushing water thereby releasing a partial quantity of active substance fluid from one of the storage containers. Other dispensing devices are realized using the capillary effects that are formed between the active substance fluids and appropriately sized discharge channels and thereby prevent a free flow of an active substance fluid out of the storage container.
The components of this type of flushing system are often molded in one piece with special tools and assembled, such that these systems are limited to the release of two active substance fluids. An extension to the release of three active substance fluids for example, can only be realized by an elaborate and costly exchange of the required mold tooling.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to overcome the described disadvantages from the prior art and to make a dispensing system for at least two active substance fluids, which can be simply and cheaply manufactured and assembled.